In The Third Wheel, star character Greg Heffley will explore the wonders and complications of middle school romance. With this new installment, author Jeff Kinney promised that “the Wimpy universe will be changed in a way that will surprise fans of the series.”

Last month, Kinney was crowned “Author of the Year” at the Children’s Choice Book Awards gala in New York City. The series earned him $17 million in 2011 and a spot on Forbes’ list of the highest paid writers.

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Here’s more from the article: “But, even as fans look forward to books from these favorites, there will undoubtedly be many new discoveries in the coming months as well, some of which, hopefully, we can introduce you to today. The list that follows isn’t exhaustive — no list could be — but these are some of the books we’re looking forward to.”

The list excluded forthcoming children’s and YA books. In the coming months we will see Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein (September), The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (October)  and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney (November). What titles are you looking forward to in the second half of 2011?

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Michael Sullivan, author of Connecting Boys with Books, offered this observation in the article: “Boys feel far more uncertain about their reading than girls do, so they’re less likely to take a chance. Studies show that psychologically, boys are known for overestimating their abilities in many areas. The one area where boys consistently underestimate their abilities is in reading.”

One factor publishers should take care on is cover design; inserting humor can really attract a young male audience. Two examples include the Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Another way to grab both girl and boy fans is by writing stories with empowering lead characters; Harry Potter and The Hunger Games enjoy great popularity with both gender groups.

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In the Author of the Year category, teen fiction writers dominate. The nominees include Suzanne Collins for Mockingjay, Stephenie Meyer for The Second Short Life of Bree Tanner, Rick Riordan for The Lost Hero, Jeff Kinney for Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth, and Cassandra Clare for Clockwork Angel.

Children of all grades are encouraged to vote for the Illustrator of the Year award. Those nominated for in this category include Loren Long for President Barack Obama‘s Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, David Wiesner for Art & Max, Mo Willems for Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion, Robin Preiss Glasser for Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique, and Nancy Tillman for Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You. Who do you want to win?

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Publisher’s Weekly has more: “The launch for The Ugly Truth will take place at BookPeople in Austin on the book’s on-sale date; the store will have a kid-sized version of the Cheese Touch board game, a dunk tank, and other activities on hand for the event.”

On November 21st, Kinney will be in New York City at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade for Greg Heffley’s debut as a giant balloon. The wimpy kid will appear alongside other literary characters including Horton the Elephant and Spider-Man. Right now, readers enter a sweepstakes for a trip to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.

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